


Mutually

by RowynSN



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Sharing A Tent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-10-06 20:51:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10344312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowynSN/pseuds/RowynSN
Summary: Vivienne and Sera are forced to share a tent, and common ground is found.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JustJasper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustJasper/gifts).



> Thank you [AngelicSentinel](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/752676/) and [ekaterinaat](https://ekaterinaat.tumblr.com/) for betaing. :)
> 
> I hope you enjoy the fic! :)

Vivienne is pleased with how the Inquisition is being run. The Inquisitor is smart, makes logical and thoughtful decisions, and has done very little to annoy Vivienne. Having Vivienne and Sera share a tent, however, is the Inquisitor's worst idea thus far.

"Oh, come _on_! You can't make me share a tent with _her_ ," Sera says.

"Your presence will be just as unpleasant, I assure you." Vivienne has only known Sera for a short month, but she has come to dislike her in only half that time.

Zara brushes her hair back away from her eyes and huffs. "We rotate who shares tents, and that's final."

Sera balls her fists, leaning further on the table they are standing around. "What good will the switching do? Can't we have the same ones as last time?"

"Sera, I'm tired. It's been a long day. Just figure it out. You'll have to work together in the future anyway, you're both adults."

Vivienne laughs. "You're speaking to the wrong person, my dear. Sera is no more mature than a ten-year-old child."

Sera narrows her eyes. "Says a pissbag."

Vivienne gives her a pointed look, then reaches for her cup of tea on the table and takes a sip. "Really, it's only one night, my dear. Surely you can bear my presence for that long."

Not that Vivienne is particularly looking forward to spending more time in the presence of Sera, but they are just sleeping in the same area. She understands why Zara wants to continue rotating despite conflict: consistency and fair treatment are, after all, important traits for a leader. The decision might be in poor taste, but it _is_ logical.

They all turn towards Cassandra as she strides up to the table. "Get on with it already. I have some important news I must share with the Inquisitor."

Zara nods to Cassandra. "I've said what I needed." Zara leaves after that. Vivienne takes another sip of tea, gaze turning towards the horizon. The sun's setting, deep orange and pink drenching the sky and everything around her. Silence settles between Sera and Vivienne. They don't move from their spots or speak for a moment. Vivienne doesn't mind the silence – she welcomes it, in fact. It's much preferable to whatever idiotic thoughts are undoubtedly brewing in Sera's mind.

Vivienne takes the last sip of her tea and sets the cup down. It is a robust orange and honey black tea - Vivienne's favorite. This will be her last cup until they return to Haven, after they finish up the last of their business in the Hinterlands.

Without saying a word, Vivienne moves past Sera and heads towards the forest for a stroll. Sera won't ruin a perfectly good evening – Vivienne is going to make sure of that.

* * *

 

It's late when Vivienne gets back to camp. The guards are up, but only just. The crackling fire fills the silence and Vivienne smiles. Perfect. A sleeping Sera will no doubt prove better company.

As quietly as she can, Vivienne pulls back the tent flap and makes her way inside. Sera is curled in on herself, facing the other direction. She doesn't stir when Vivienne comes in, and Vivienne is grateful. She takes off her boots, almost too tired to move. Today was long, and tomorrow will no doubt be longer.

Vivienne lays her head on her silk pillow, much preferred to the ratty things the inquisition provides. Thank the Maker she brought her own gear.

Vivienne is asleep minutes after she closes her eyes but is woken up by incessant whimpering not long after.

"Would you stop-" Vivienne surges up to find Sera crying and whining in her sleep. Her arms are wrapped around herself, her body slightly shaking. Sleep doesn't leave Vivienne completely, but her mind feels sharper than before.

Crying? It baffles Vivienne. Sera doesn't seem the type to cry in her sleep. While Vivienne isn't all that fond of Sera, something prompts her to shake her awake.

"Ava?" It comes out a whimper, and her eyes flutter open. She looks more vulnerable than Vivienne has ever seen her. If this were any other time, any other place, Vivienne would have seized the chance to exploit such a weakness. But she is above such cowardice.

"Darling, are you alright?"

Sera's eyes widen, body rigid instantly. "Vivienne?" She sits up and quickly wipes her tears. "I wasn't crying, just something in my eye–"

"Pretenses aren't needed, my dear. I wouldn't kick a dog while it's down."

"I'm – I'm _not_ a dog! Don't compare me to them, and I'm not down. I told you - something in my eye." Sera stops wiping her tears, then rakes her fingers through her hair. She's stopped crying, but her cheeks and eyes are still red. A smile plays on Vivienne's lips, dying at Sera's glare. "So you think this is funny?"

"I didn't mean to offend, only to make sure you were okay. You were whimpering in your sleep."

If possible, Sera's face reddens even more. "Why do you care?"

Vivienne shrugs and tilts her head slightly to the left. "Your whimpering woke me, and I couldn't let such a pitiful sight remain."

"Pitiful, was I?"

"You were." Vivienne pauses, then says, "Would you have preferred me not wake you at all?"

Sera sighs, long and loud, and closes her eyes for a moment, shoulders hunched. She almost looks older, more mature. Perhaps Sera has a depth that even Vivienne is not aware of. "Just—just put it out of your mind. I leave you alone, you leave me alone, yeah?"

"If you keep up your end of the bargain, of course. But only if."

Sera pauses, the cogs no doubt turning in her mind. Her face is lighter, Vivienne notices, her youthfulness once again becoming apparent. "How about…when we're in the tent, there's a truce, but otherwise, we go back to how we were before."

"Better than nothing, I suppose. I agree to your terms, however lacking they may be."

"Good."

Nothing more is said that night.

* * *

 

The next time they share a tent is on the Storm Coast. Her armor is soaked by the time they decide to go back to camp for the night, and as soon as they do, she heads for their tent.

Sera had been more annoying than usual. One would _think_ she would grow tired of saying such idiotic things at some point. Sera's own tolerance for herself always manages to surprise Vivienne, no matter how many parties they are in together.

Vivienne takes off her armor slowly. Her body aches more than it has in a while, and it doesn't help that she's exhausted, too. The Inquisitor is never one for rest unless absolutely necessary. An admirable trait, but one that always leaves her exhausted by the end of the day. Vivienne isn't used to such physical strain, but she never voices this. Weaknesses shown to anyone means an opening: an opportunity to best Vivienne or worse, an opportunity to be ridiculed into obscurity.

"Vivvy, are you gonna eat? 'Cause if not, I'm taking your food!" Sera yells, voice coming closer to the tent.

"Don't come in. I'm changing." Vivienne quickly grabs the first dry outfit she sees and puts it on.

"You never answered my question. Will you be eating tonight?"

Vivienne sighs. "Yes, I will be."

"Sucky! Maybe next time, then." Sera says, retreating footsteps loud.

Vivienne rolls her eyes, then grabs the umbrella next to her bedroll. It was given to her by Baisten, made of the finest materials. The end has a short but sweet message of simply: _I love you, my dear Vivienne_. Looking at it makes something in her chest tighten, but she steels herself, and puts the umbrella up as soon as she is outside, mask on.

Almost everyone around the dying campfire is quietly eating their soup. Sera's the only person who is talking. Again. Vivienne just grabs some soup and goes back to her tent, having no desire to hear Sera ramble on for what could easily be another hour or so.

A book turns out to be much better company. She reads by candlelight until Sera comes back to the tent.

There's a few moments of blissful silence before Sera, wrapped up in her bedroll, says, "Could you get rid of the light?"

"No." Vivienne turns the page.

"You expect me to sleep with that candle lit?"

Vivienne doesn't even bother looking up from her book. "You agreed that if I didn't bother you, you wouldn't bother me. It's a mere candle. I'm sure you could figure something out."

"We share the tent – _both_ of us. It isn't just yours."

"My dear, you should live up to your own words. We've agreed to not bother each other when in the tent. I am just reading by candlelight. Would you prefer I conjure a light? I know how _fond_ you are of magic."

Sera body tenses in her bedding. "An arrow might be good."

"An arrow?"

"Yeah. How about I conjure one right up your arse?" Throwing the covers aside, Sera storms out.

Vivienne sighs, eyes falling shut. She feels a headache coming on, and she wonders if she should expect more pranking from now on. Not having the energy to continue reading, she blows out the candle.

Sera comes back in moments later. "Fine, let's make a deal." Her voice still sounds angry.

Vivienne hums. "A deal? What, you like breaking them that much?"

The tent is dark, lit only by the campfire's pitiful remainder, but Vivienne can picture Sera's angry expression. "I don't like you, but I have to sleep, and despite you being the daft git you are, you're human and you need sleep too."

"Charming. Daft git, am I? Ugly words from someone who wants to make a deal."

Sera moans. "Maker—fine, I'm sorry. Are you happy?"

Vivienne sits up. "Yeah, much better. Now, back to the matter at hand. A deal?"

"Yes. How about the old deal and after dinner, any noisy or bright things are taken somewhere else. Fair, yeah?"

While Vivienne is pleased with Sera's proposed deal, she wants to unnerve Sera with long silence. A small payment for such rude behavior. When she is satisfied by Sera's impatient shifting, Vivienne simply says, "I agree."

Sera exhales sharply.

* * *

 

The whimpers are quieter this time, but Vivienne is a light sleeper, and so she wakes up soon after they start.

Is this going to be a nightly occurrence? _Maker_ , she hopes not. For a moment, she wonders what Sera is having nightmares about. Her past, no doubt. 'Ava', Sera said last time. Was this Ava someone important to her who died? Or something else just as scarring?

Baisten is sick, and might die soon. The healers have told him that his condition is precarious, but Vivienne has a plan – a potion that Zara will hopefully help her make. If that doesn't work? Well, she doesn't know what she will do. Baisten has been in her life for so long that it is impossible even trying to imagine her life without him. But, as much as she wants him to live, she knows death is inevitable. She only hopes to delay it a little while longer.

She looks over at Sera's pained expression, the tears streaming down her cheeks. A twinge of something. She stops herself. Feeling sorry for Sera will get her nowhere pleasant, she is sure.

Despite her best efforts to eliminate such thoughts and feelings, they linger.

* * *

 

With Baisten's death, something dies within her. She puts on a strong front—after all, such weaknesses are unbecoming—but she feels numb. Anger and grief come in spurts, but the numbness pervades all.

There is no time to grieve. The Inquisition needs her and, almost immediately, they're off to the Western Approach. It's too hot for comfort, and Sera is with them.

On autopilot, she replies to Sera's antics with a sharp tongue, but her words are nothing but hollow echoes. She feels like she's faking every interaction. Masks and falsehoods are nothing new to Vivienne, of course. They are familiar, if nothing else, but even so, it doesn't feel like a mask worth putting on.

"Why are you acting so weird? Did an actual stick get lodged up there?" Sera asks soon after they close a riff. They've been at the Western Approach for seven hours now, and each moment feels like an eternity.

"No." Her answer is curt, but she wants to say more. She wants to destroy Sera, cut her with words so deeply that she never talks in her presence again. Vivienne takes in a deep breath and slowly lets it out. Soon, they'd be back at camp. Soon, Vivienne could go to sleep, unbothered.

"Just leave Vivienne alone. She's had a hard day," Zara says, and Vivienne whips her head towards her.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't say any more. Would you like it if I speak of your personal details to others, hmm?"

Zara huffs. "Fine. If you don't want me to help, I won't."

Vivienne doesn't say anything, keeping her eyes firmly on the sand in front of her. Maybe everyone will finally leave her alone. Finally take the hint that she is not in the mood for talking.

The group, thankfully, remains quiet for the remainder of their journey. As soon as they arrive, Vivienne goes to the tent and lays down. No tears come, but neither does sleep. Only images of Baisten come to her. They play in her mind: haunting, consuming. An hour turns into two, and Sera joins her not long after that.

They don't speak.

Sleep comes eventually.

* * *

 

Vivienne wakes up with Baisten's name on her tongue. She's breathing heavily, face hot. The dream is fading, and only blurry images remain in her mind, but it still shakes her. She looks at her hands and legs, eyes wide.

"You're okay," Vivienne says to herself. The words slip out unintentionally. It doesn't seem like a bad thing at first. Her mind sharpens, and she realizes she's not in her own room.

Her head snaps toward Sera. She's awake, brows drawn together, mouth open.

"I am not an exhibition," Vivienne says. "Gaping is rude."

Usually such remarks would be more harsh. She would have tried to cut Sera down with her tongue quickly before she could attempt to cut Vivienne down. But now, it is as if all the energy has been sapped from her body.

Sera closes her mouth. "Awww don't get your knickers in a twist." Silence settles between them for a minute as they gauge each other. The moment breaks when Sera breaks eye contact and looks at her left shoulder instead of her eyes. "Have you been having a bad day because of this Baisten person?"

"I hardly see why that would concern you."

"I'm not trying to get into your business. I just - you've heard it, haven't you? Me calling out for Ava."

Vivienne sighs. "Yes I have. Many times." She knows where this was going. Mutual experiences are an opportunity for understanding, but she can't tell if she wants that or not. Sera is an annoyance that hinders her in many ways. She can't stand most of her pranks (except when the people Vivienne dislikes are the blunt of them), and her immaturity (though there are the brief moments of maturity). Vivienne continues to list the things she dislikes about Sera in her mind, but there is always a 'but'. Always an exception. It is probably from the last time they shared a tent. Maybe some sort of seed was planted when she started feeling sorry for Sera. She knew that nothing good would come out of the emotion.

"I'm not going to give you a hug and say 'I understand.' If what I think happened happened then I'm sorry. Something similar happened to me, if that makes you feel better," Sera says, eyes meeting hers once again.

Vivienne pauses, silence enveloping them both. Her words aren't surprising, but they are far more comforting than Vivienne wants to admit.

"When did Ava die? If I may ask. Feel free not to answer. Silence is fine."

Sera turns her gaze downward to her hands. She swallows thickly before saying, "Four months."

Ava died right before the Inquisition was formed, then. _Four months_ _is_ _a long time to grieve,_ Vivienne thinks, but she does not voice it. Sera is young. She has killed and has probably had loved ones die, but it hurts more when you're young: when the experience is relatively new. It hurts that Baisten is dead, but Vivienne always knew it was inevitable. The threat of death is constant; always there, never changing.

"I'm sorry." And she truly is. She understands Sera's pain, hates that death haunts the living in this way.

Sera smiles at her. "Thank you."

They both try to go back to sleep afterwards, but Vivienne's mind doesn't quiet as quickly as she would like. Their interaction replays in her mind and she scrutinizes every detail, every word. She wants to hate Sera—wants to fall back on her gripes about the other. But she can't.

Vivienne doesn't expect them to become close friends, nor does she expect Sera to treat her any differently. They have an understanding, after all: inside the tent things are civil. She leaves Sera alone and she, in turn, gives Vivienne the same courtesy. It's only outside of the living arrangement where they go back to their normal, less-than-friendly selves.

That truth is both a comfort and not.

* * *

 

The next day is as she expects: the same routine, the same dynamic. It's a relief in a way. Liking Sera would have gained her nothing. Certainly, others would have judged. Appearances are important, and any hint of weakness—legitimate or not—always attracts the vultures. Now is perhaps the worst time to attract such attention.

The group is silent except for Iron Bull's excited chatter about the dragon they're going to slay. It is the last task, thankfully, before they are to return to Skyhold. Vivienne is just excited for when the day will be over.

"Here it comes!" Iron Bull says with a grin on his face as he takes out his weapon. The Inquisitor returns Bull's smile, and Vivienne sighs. This will, no doubt, take more energy than she wants to give.

"Is everyone ready?" Zara shouts as the dragon roars. The pillars of sand around them block the dragon partly from view, but she can tell it's a fierce one – red and menacing. The Inquisitor and Iron Bull front the party as they run towards the creature, Sera and Vivienne right behind them.

The dragon exhales fire, forcing everyone back.

"This one looks tough!" Iron Bull says before he laughs and swings his greatsword, barely missing the dragon. It moves around and swings its tail, hitting both the Inquisitor and Iron Bull. They get up though, and quickly get back to hacking at it. Sera poisons her arrows before firing them in quick succession. Vivienne joins in and hits the dragon with as much magic as she can muster.

They are well-equipped to deal with it. Unlike last time they fought a dragon, they aren't vastly outmatched. The tides change when Iron Bull and the Inquisitor don't get out of the way of its fire attack. They fall down on the opposite end of the battlefield, away from both Sera and Vivienne.

It's just Sera and Vivienne fighting now.

"Revive them!" Vivienne shouts. Sera nods before running towards their bodies. The dragon focuses its attention on Sera, and Vivienne chucks ice shards at the dragon. "Over here!"

It doesn't turn towards Vivienne. Her heart thuds hard in her chest.

"I'm going to die before I get to them if this keeps up! Try harder!"

Vivienne gathers a good portion of her mana for an attack and throws it at the dragon.

It doesn't even look at her. If Vivienne wasn't worried about everyone's life, she would almost be offended that the dragon isn't paying her any mind. A slight flap of the wings, then a whirlwind as it flaps harder and harder and pulls them towards it.

Sera is breathing heavily, trying to defend and jump away. Each attempt grows weaker, and she becomes bloodier. Its wings stop flapping and Sera tries to distance herself from it.

A slight tick of the dragon's neck, and Vivienne knows what's next. Without thinking about it, her body fade-steps in front of Sera right as the dragon attacks with its fire. Vivienne erects a barrier quickly, but not quickly enough. The heat is unbearable. It envelops her entire body, even her face. Biting her lip from the pain, she manages, "Hurry and revive them." Vivienne doesn't look back at Sera, instead uses her last remaining mana to hurtle an ice storm around the dragon.

"Get up!" Sera yells as she quickly patches up the other two members.

They get up slowly, and Vivienne wants to scream. She has no more mana and the rest of the lyrium potions have been used up in their last battle. The next attack from the dragon comes swiftly—she tries to dodge it, but she's too weak.

Darkness follows.

* * *

 

" - enne! Vivienne! Wake up." A violent shake of her shoulders, and Vivienne blinks, eyes slowly opening.

She's on her back and the sun is blinding, making it hard to open her eyes fully. It doesn't, however, take long for her to figure out that Sera is the one in front of her.

"You're still alive – good. I tried to revive you, and you still wouldn't wake up. Dead I thought."

That means Vivienne needs to heal herself with magic more intensely when she gets back to camp. She tries to sit up, but sharp pain travels down her body when she does.

Instead of getting up, she pauses and looks at herself. Her armor is torn and charred, but still wearable. Even so, she will have to send for a tailor as soon as she can. The skin exposed is covered in burn marks and bruises, though most are indistinguishable from each other. Sera looks almost as beaten up: blood and burn marks on her exposed skin, nose broken, blonde hair in disarray. Vivienne scans the area, only to find her and Sera and the corpse of the dead dragon.

"Where are the Inquisitor and Iron Bull?" Surely, they haven't left for Skyhold yet. She couldn't have been out for that long.

"They're at camp, waiting. You didn't wake when I tried to revive you and we didn't want to open your wounds by moving you."

"How long have I been here?"

"About half an hour." A pause. Sera smiles, and it surprises Vivienne. "Thanks. For saving me, and all that." Another surprise. While she did it without thinking, there was still the fact that she might not have if she hated Sera.

"You're very welcome, my dear."

They walk back to camp in silence.

* * *

 

Three days pass after they get back to Skyhold. It's a strange experience, but one that Vivienne can't say she dislikes. They gibe at each other as before, but it's different—almost enjoyable, though both make it known they still find each other just as annoying.

She walks back to her room after afternoon tea with Ambassador Josephine to find wildflowers on her couch, crudely put together in an old, polished vase.

Was this Sera's doing? Or someone else's?

Vivienne studies the flowers as she walks to them. Where were they picked? Not Skyhold – the flowers are much too colorful and wild-looking. The Hinterlands, maybe? She plucks a card from the vase:

_Thank you. Much appreciated._

So, it _is_ Sera's doing. The message is odd, the words much warmer than she expects. A week ago, she would have cut Sera down; would've made sure such gestures were buried, unrepeated. But it's not a week ago.

Vivienne smiles and bends down to smell the flowers.

Maybe outside the tent, Sera's presence could be more than just tolerated.


End file.
